Types of Contracts

Full-time permanent

This type of contract employment on a full-time basis, with benefits, which could include a pension scheme, sick pay, holiday entitlement or bonuses.

Part-time permanent

This contract provides part-time employment on an agreed work pattern, with benefits, which may be the same as those on a full-time permanent contract.

Fixed Term

An employee is hired to work on a particular project that lasts for a limited amount of time. For example, you may be hired as a lighting technician for a TV drama that is filmed on location over a three month period.

Stringer

A stringer contract is where you are hired on the basis of being available at short notice to find out about new stories. This may be an article for a local newspaper, filming a local football match or recording an interview for a radio station.

The term 'stringer' originated in the newspaper industry, where journalists were employed to "string words together". They were paid according to the length of the articles that they produced - as measured, some claim, by a piece of string.

Freelance

A freelance contract is one of the most common contracts in the media industry. A freelancer works on a project in a role, such as a journalist, for a contracted amount of time. Freelancers can be working on a number of projects at the same time for various clients.